The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel [122]
Talut nodded to Ayla and Jondalar. They stood up and approached him with the formality of a prearranged ceremony. Tulie, who had been waiting off to the side, moved up to stand beside her brother.
“I ask for the Speaking Staff,” she said.
Talut passed it to her.
“As headwoman of the Lion Camp, I state my agreement with Talut’s comments. Jondalar and Ayla would be valuable additions to the Lion Camp, and to the Mamutoi.” She faced the tall blond man. “Jondalar,” she said, stamping the Speaking Staff three times, “Tulie and Barzec have asked you to be a son of the Aurochs Hearth. We have spoken for you. How do you speak, Jondalar?”
He approached her, and took the Staff she offered and stamped it three times. “I am Jondalar of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, son of Marthona, former leader of the Ninth Cave, born to the hearth of Dalanar, leader of the Lanzadonii,” he began. Since it was a formal occasion he decided to use his more formal address and name his primary ties, which brought smiles and nods of approval. All the foreign names gave the ceremony an exotic and important flavor. “I am greatly honored by your invitation, but I must be fair and tell you I have strong obligations. Someday I must return to the Zelandonii. I must tell my mother of my brother’s death, and I must tell Zelandoni, our Mamut, so a Search for his spirit can be made to guide him to the world of the spirits. I value our kinship, I am so warmed by your friendship, I do not want to leave. I wish to stay with you, my friends and relatives, for as long as I can.” Jondalar passed the Speaking Staff back to Tulie.
“We are saddened that you cannot join our hearth, Jondalar, but we understand your obligations. You have our respect. Since we are related, through your brother who was a cross-mate of Tholie, you are welcome to remain as long as you wish,” Tulie said, then passed the Staff back to Talut.
“Ayla,” Talut said, stamping the Staff three times on the ground, “Nezzie and I want to adopt you as a daughter of the Lion Hearth. We have spoken for you. How do you speak?”
Ayla took the Staff and banged it on the ground three times. “I am Ayla. I have no people. I am honored and pleased to be asked to become one of you. I would feel proud to be Ayla of the Mamutoi,” she said, in a carefully rehearsed speech.
Talut took the Staff back and stamped it four times. “If there are no objections, I will close this special meeting …”
“I request the Speaking Staff,” a voice from the audience called out. Everyone looked surprised to see Frebec approaching.
He took the Staff from the headman, struck the ground three times. “I do not agree. I do not want Ayla,” he said.
14
The people of the Lion Camp were stunned into silence. Then there was a hubbub of shocked surprise. The headman had sponsored Ayla, with the headwoman in full accord. Though everyone knew Frebec’s feelings about Ayla, no one else seemed to share them. What’s more, Frebec and the Crane Hearth hardly seemed in a position to object. They had been accepted by the Lion Camp recently themselves, after several other Camps had turned them down, only because Nezzie and Talut had argued in their behalf. The Crane Hearth once had a high status, and there had been people in other Camps who had been willing to sponsor them, but there had always been dissenters, and there could be no dissenters. Everyone had to agree. After all the headman’s support, it seemed ungrateful for Frebec to oppose him, and no one had expected it, least of all Talut.
The commotion quickly died down when Talut took the Speaking Staff from Frebec, held it up and shook it, invoking its power. “Frebec has the Staff. Let him speak,” Talut said, handing the ivory shaft back.
Frebec hit the ground three times and continued, “I do not want Ayla because I don’t think she has offered enough to make her a Mamutoi.” There was an undercurrent of objection to his statement, especially after Talut’s words of praise, but not enough to interrupt the speaker. “Do we ask any stranger who stops for a visit